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Jarrad Saffren | Staff Writer
O n May 1 inside the Capitol Media Center in
Harrisburg, a group of Jewish and Black
representatives walked onto the stage.
They lined up in a row and stood behind the podium
as their leaders, Rep. Jared Solomon and then Rep.
Jordan Harris, stepped forward to speak.
Solomon, who is Jewish and represents the 202nd
district in Philadelphia County, and Harris, who is Black
and represents the 186th district, also in Philadelphia
County, were introducing the new Black-Jewish
Caucus in the PA General Assembly. They pledged to
build a relationship, work together to combat antisem-
itism and racism and collaborate on legislative issues.
But about 18 minutes into the press conference, the
camera panned out over the audience in the room.
It was mostly empty, save for four people sitting in
chairs and two more standing with cameras. There
Rep. Jared Solomon speaks at the press conference
announcing the Black-Jewish Caucus in the Capitol
Media Center in Harrisburg on May 1.
was only one reporter in the room asking questions,
and he led with the obvious one.
“We heard a lot about conversations. I’m just
wondering in terms of what this caucus can do to
back each other’s priorities,” he said.
“I think that legislative priorities, legislative victo-
ries, begin with relationship building,” Solomon
answered. For now, as Solomon repeated afterward, that’s
the goal.
“It’s reestablishing the importance of the relation-
ship,” he said.
According to Solomon, the Black-Jewish alliance
hit its high point during the civil rights movement.
But since then, it has not been the same “organized,
coordinated, comprehensive, growing majority that
builds relationships, handles issues and speaks
authoritatively,” he said.
“What we need to do is make this relationship
relevant to the new generation of Blacks and Jews in
our communities,” Solomon explained. “Jordan and I
want to model this type of behavior. We are friends.”
“Friendships are about give and take,” Harris
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PA Lawmakers Announce
Black-Jewish Caucus
Members of the new Black-Jewish Caucus in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Solomon, Harris and 10 of their General Assembly
colleagues — eight Black members and four Jewish
members — attended the press conference and
modeled the type of relationship building they hope
to spread. Rep. Ben Waxman, who represents the
182nd district, based in Center City, was one of the
Jewish leaders present.
All 12 attendees, as Solomon joked during the
press conference, are Democrats, though the invita-
tion is open to Republicans to join. None of them
could attend on May 1 due to scheduling conflicts,
according to Solomon. David Edman, the co-founder
of Alliance of Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit that
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seeks to build relationships between the Jewish and
Black communities, also attended and spoke.
Five years ago, Edman met Harris and told
him about Congregation Temple Beth’El, a Black
synagogue in Philadelphia. Harris and Solomon then
attended a Shabbat service there together.
“And that kind of planted the seeds,” Edman said.
But it remains unclear what those seeds will
sprout into as the caucus starts to meet. According
to Solomon, relationship building must lead to both
groups standing up during instances of antisemitism
or racism. After that, they can stand together on
different pieces of legislation.
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“What makes sense for us to do? Is it gun violence?
Is it housing? I’m not sure,” Solomon said. “But both
Jordan and I have a sense of how to get there.”
During the press conference, Waxman stepped
forward and explained that in recent years PA has
increased security grant funding for nonprofits. The
program has benefited both Jewish and Black insti-
tutions, and that’s one example of an issue on which
the caucus could stand together.
Rep. Dan Frankel, whose district includes
Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, where
the Tree of Life synagogue shooting unfolded
almost five years ago, also stepped forward to
mention a package of bills, introduced at the
end of April, that would update the state’s hate
crimes statute to include protections for additional
groups, like people with disabilities, and train-
ing for law enforcement officers, among other
measures. Frankel and Napoleon Nelson, a Black
representative who was at the press conference,
introduced the package.
“I was there at the Tree of Life synagogue. I took a
tour of the Tree of Life synagogue. I heard the stories.
I saw the pain in the eyes of my colleagues who were
with me who were of the Jewish faith,” Harris said. “I
also know they see the pain in my eyes when we talk
to mothers who are losing their sons and daughters
in the streets of Philadelphia to gun violence.” ■
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